Virulent Newcastle Disease or VND, Lots of Anguish, Little Solutions Offered

[Animalfisherwoman]

Not sure I was clear. Birds are still contagious and capable of infecting others before their own illness becomes apparent. That period of incubation when birds appear to be "healthy" may be as long as 21 days according to CDFA, USDA and drug company sources. That's a long time for people to transport birds and spread the disease IF it's the case.

What's more, there is a 10% recovery rate and those birds may shed the virus for up to 4 months.

That's what makes trying to gather reliable information so frustrating.

@IamRainey, do you have your source for the carrier status? I've found very little info on this. Thanks.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

@IamRainey, do you have your source for the carrier status? I've found very little info on this. Thanks.

Also vaccinated birds can shed the virus for up to four months is what I have read.

 

[IamRainey]

@IamRainey, do you have your source for the carrier status? I've found very little info on this. Thanks.

The answer is an extremely soft "sorta". I know I read it and I went looking for it when I wrote that item. I wanted to link to it. But I couldn't find it again.

I will continue to attempt to find it as much for your sake as because this fits into the category of info that I think I understand but am not so confident I wouldn't want to be corrected and set straight.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

There are different types of Newcastle disease and weaker strains. I think the VND acts very quickly and usually kills the bird within a few hours, so it can be spread very rapidly. It can be devastating to the poultry industry. I think they need to crack down on the sources, not just eradicate everything!

I'm wondering if the "virulent" strain is really so deadly, or if the places where they have observed a lot of quick deaths have been industrial facilities filled with unhealthy immuno-compromised birds. In other words, normally non-lethal pathogens introduced into organisms with damaged immune systems can have lethal results. I don't have sufficient data to be able to make that call in this particular case.

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

Demand for these birds will fall as cockfighting becomes less popular. And the way that was accomplished with dog fighting was with more states making it a felony with more jail time, and then basically making an example out of people. Since Michael Vick? Way better now than in 2006.

The food security and trade ramifications--to say nothing of the rights of others--make cockfighting absolutely a larger priority. It cannot be cloaked under a cultural understanding excuse when what is resulting is basically ag terrorism. It should absolutely be among the top deportable offenses.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

There's a lot of gamecock breeding going down south with birds going for $100/up.

Pardon my French, but they need to shut that sh!t down.

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

I'm wondering if the "virulent" strain is really so deadly, or if where they have observed a lot of quick deaths have been industrial facilities filled with unhealthy immuno-compromised birds. I don't have sufficient data to be able to make that call.

This strain is "hot," meaning that once infection sets in, most of the flock will contract it via exposure to infected poop, respiratory droplets in the coop and direct bodily contact between chickens. Virus is inactivated on exposure to sunlight/uv but can remain longer in dark areas. The state's 120-day quarantine suggests an that's how long it might remain on the property.

If we were all chickens, that first introduction would be the end of it. Essentially, it would burn itself out. The same, btw, is also true of Ebola.

But we ourselves aren't chickens. The spread maps, particularly the interactive overlying month-to-month, look a lot like CIDRAP's Ebola maps: Scattered clusters, some with that "bullseye" pattern, all reflecting human intervention. Human-caused spread.

 

[roosterhavoc]

Pardon my French, but they need to shut that sh!t down.

Do I need to provide link after link of all the sick birds posted and taken to the vet from California? Treated for all kinds of diseases constantly? Gamefowl are generally healthier and more disease resistant than most of the commercial birds, layers and turkey. All the antibiotics consistently used to treat reoccurring respiratory diseases which weaken the immune system which leave the birds open and more likely to contract other diseases. I see the witch hunt is still going strong.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

This strain is "hot," meaning that once infection sets in, most of the flock will contract it via exposure to infected poop, respiratory droplets in the coop and direct bodily contact between chickens.

But do you know if a strain is "hot" because of its genetic structure, or because of the population it affects? I assure you that epidemiologists can't determine from a virus' DNA sequence whether it will be virulent or not. That can only be determined through surveillance. Where have these virulent outbreaks occurred? Healthy flocks, unhealthy ones, or both?

 

[IamRainey]

Thank goodness we're on the cusp of what will likely be a long hot dry Summer. This will shorten the viability of the virus and, no doubt, slow the rate of infection.

Many of the hot spots in LA and Riverside Counties are particularly hot and dry. Don't know about San Bernardino County. They have as much mountainous terrain as flat dry plain.